pope john paul ii came to san francisco at the time that the city was at the grips of the aids epidemic. what the pope did helped to comfort those with aids. he reached out and touched them offering a blessing an hope of healing. we have a report from that day. beginning with rita williams who was at mission dolores with the pope's visit to the california's oldest mission. >> reporter: john paul ii warmly greeted those along the center aisle of the pope. some of the 900 invited guests. the pope then approached the nine pews of aids patients. and certainly the most moving moment came when 4-year-old brendan ororke reached out to hug the holy father. little brendan contracted aids from a blood transfusion at birth. the pope then moved to other aids sufferers, most of them gay. it was the first time the leader of a catholic church has met directly with aids sufferers. from there the pope went alone to pray in the old mission. the oldest building in san francisco. in prepared remarks the pope proclaimed the unconditional and ever lasting love of god for all people dwelling at lenghts on sin